Sister of Syrian protester kidnapped by security forces, her decapitated body found in morgue

Amnesty reports:

The mutilated body of 18-year-old Zainab al-Hosni of Homs, the first woman known to have died in custody during Syria’s recent unrest, was discovered by her family in horrific circumstances on 13 September.

The family was visiting a morgue to identify the body of Zainab’s activist brother Mohammad, who was also arrested and apparently tortured and killed in detention. Zainab had been decapitated, her arms cut off, and skin removed.

Over 3,000 people have been killed by the government in the six months since the protests began in Syria. Events like this could well trigger a new and much bloodier phase as non-violent protests are replaced by an insurgency.

Now that the Libyan revolution is entering its final phase, pressure will build for some form of Western intervention. The US and EU countries are discussing stronger sanctions on Syria and Turkey has just stopped a Syrian ship carrying weapons.

The collapse of Assad's regime in Syria would be a major embarrassment to the mis-rulers of Iran and could even bring down their regime in a 'domino effect'.